Press Release from David Southwick MP The Parliament supports the notion of quality music education for all, it is up to each person to let the committee know what is happening on the ground so that areas for improvement can be identified.

Support materials are currently
being developed to assist people with making their submissions. Extra links to studies have been uploaded on the side bar.

How you do your submission is really up to you. There are no set rules about this. In the past schools have often included unattributed comments from parents or students and the govenrment always finds this material valuable in forming general impressions of issues and potential solutions etc. Survey monkey to gather parent feedback within individual school submissions is acceptable, although open text fields (where they have the chance to provide comments and detail) is probably the most useful to the committee. If you are going to use survey monkey results as part of your submission, it would be useful to let the committee know information such as the sample size/participation rate and to include a copy of the questions you asked.

Please
email smag.schoolmusicactiongroup@gmail.com for support materials or Download here: =

THE VIC GOVERNMENT’S TERMS OF REFERENCE PDF:SPREADING THE WORD: Let your principal know about the inquiry – try and have a chat with them shortly, they will be back at work soon. Seek permission to make a note in your school newsletter, on your blogs, to send a PRESS RELEASE Press Release SMAGPress Release SMAG to your local papers, radio stations and rural TV reporters Just edit a few things with your details and include the Vic Gov’t Press release.

The Parliament of Victoria’s Education
and Training Committee invites submissions to its inquiry into the extent,
benefits and potential of music education in Victorian Schools.

The Committee has also been asked to
consider:

vThe benefits to students and the broader society of music education in
schools

vThe extent and quality of music education in Victorian schools

vThe optimum funding and governance arrangements for music education in
Victorian schools.

The announcement of this inquiry into
music education in Victorian schools is a positive outcome resulting from a
number of meetings initiated by members of the School Music Action Group (sMAG)
with the Premiers Office, the Minister for Education, and the Directors of both
Curriculum and Students Outcomes from VCAA.Key concerns included the provision and quality of music education in
Victorian schools as revealed in research findings, and the implementation of
the Australian Curriculum for music. Among the main issues (sMAG) have been
lobbying for is that:

‘EVERY CHILD IN VICTORIAN SCHOOLS HAS ACCESS
TO A QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION TAUGHT BY PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TEACHERS WITH
MUSICAL EXPERTISE’.

sMAG would like to strongly encourage
all stakeholders to make a personal response to this enquiry and also encourage
your school community to respond. In this time of economic rationalism where
many education programs have already been slashed, we response is paramount if
we are to achieve positive reforms to music education in schools.

Shine
and showcase!This is our chance for us
not only to substantiate the provision of school music programs, but to argue
for better funding and a sequential, assessableP – 12 curriculum.The Victorian parliamentary
inquiry is a significant opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the
quality delivery of music programs throughout Victoria. As the inquiry
covers the potential of investment in music education, we are in a unique
position to have a strong positive voice to the future developments. sMAG
strongly encourages all members of the music community to make a submission.
Information on how to make a submission can be found below.

In
order to support the music community in this effort and recognising that the
timeline is short to Feb 15, the sMAG committee will:

•upload examples
and outlines of possible submissions in order to support the music community in
any individual effort – Jan 2013

•Upload an online
survey to allow for broad based consultation in a time effective way – Jan 2013

•Create a
substantial collective submission, and seek signatory support – early Feb 2013

sMAG
will upload all steps to the blog, so please use this online tool to continue
the conversation. People can subscribe to the blog, and comments can be
made and published.

These
support mechanisms are not to discourage individual submissions – the more
submissions that are made in this unique and rare opportunity, the better our
case.

Despite the short timeline (which has already been extended to encompass
the first weeks of term 1), sMAG would strongly suggest you seek submissions
from your own school community including staff, students and very importantly
parent groups.

Please also forward this information to any people you think may have an
interest in the provision of Music education within Victoria.

This enquiry follows one conducted by the same committee on Gifted and
Talented Children which has come up with some very positive outcomes.

The Review's Terms
of Reference include:

-The
current extent and quality of music education in Victorian schools

-The
status of music education in Victorian schools

-The
current funding arrangements for music education in Victorian schools

-What
factors affect the quality of music education in Victorian schools

-The
support available in Victorian schools

-Key
benefits and issues surrounding music education in schools, including any
identified gaps in existing educational opportunities

-And
music education programs considered best practice

Submissions may
also include CDs. programs, an invitation to visit your school, etc.With quality programs on show to our
Victorian parliamentarians, positive outcomes are sure to flow through.

After
receiving submissions, the Vic Parliamentary Committee will hold public
hearings next year before tabling a report in Parliament in September 2013.Get involved!

This
is our chance to be heard, and for significant support to come through.Please take the time over January to join us
as we make a significant difference to music education for some time to come.

(Victorian Parliament
education and training committees). Submissions can be made on-line or can be
forwarded by post to

Mission Statement

sMAG (Vic) works cooperatively with the State and Federal governments, Universities and the music sector to ensure that the recommendations of the NRSME are adopted and implemented throughout the State of Victoria

Purpose

* To promote high quality school music education in all schools in Victoria
* To be a representative voice from all sectors supporting music education in schools
* To promote the value and status of school music education throughout the Victorian education sector and in the wider community
* To comment as appropriate upon matters relating to school music education
* To encourage and assist societies and organisations concerned with school music education and the professional development of teachers
* To promote singing as a foundation for developmental music education programs in all early childhood, primary and secondary settings
* To promote the inclusion of continuous sequential and developmental music study into the VELS
To promote the expansion of pre-service education and ongoing professional development of teachers to meet the needs of the delivery of high quality music teaching

Followers

Blog Space

A community discussion space aimed to inform the current debate in the National Curriculum development for Music. Followers are encouraged to read the linked documents in order to contribute.

“Music has a power of forming the character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.” Aristotle.

sMAG

The School Music Action Group (sMAG) was formed immediately following the Victorian Music Workshop in April 2007. sMAG brings together representatives of the key music education community including teachers and principals as well as representatives from the tertiary music and education sectors music/arts bodies and the music industry.

The purpose of sMAG is to unify the music education sector and its stakeholders.